Real Humans of Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Business MBA Class of 2025

Diep Nguyen, Vanderbilt Owen MBA Class of 2025

Age: 25
Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam
Undergraduate Institution and Major: RMIT University, Economics & Finance
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): Auditor & Consultant, EY, 4 years

Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
After three years working as a Financial Services auditor at EY, I realized that I wanted to challenge myself with different complex problems among different industries. I decided I wanted to focus on future strategies instead of historical data, and that’s why I transitioned into my consultant position at EY. See, the tangible results brought about by consulting work really reinforced my pursuit of consulting and further inspired me to come to the US for an MBA, to enhance my leadership and management skills leading diverse teams to deliver high-quality results. 

Why did you choose Vanderbilt Owen? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
When thinking about MBA, I was looking for a close-knit community where I can thrive as an individual and together with a diverse community. Vanderbilt really impressed me with the tremendous warmth and support I received as I reached out to Owen’s current students and alumni. Though each and every one of them had a very different story, one key characteristic that I found all sharing was how supportive Owen people are (which was already verified for me as I got responses from everyone I reached out at Owen) and how everyone is willing to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Business MBA Class of 2025?
My financial and accounting consulting experience in SEA market will contribute to the classroom experience at Owen in quantitative-based courses such as Managerial Finance or Introduction to Financial Accounting by bringing practical business issues and the solutions that are utilized. In addition, being a Student Ambassador at my undergraduate university, I will continue to apply for the MBA Student Ambassador position at Owen and will contribute to organizing events to strengthen the Owen network among alumni, current students, and prospective students.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love collecting earrings and I’m showcasing a new pair of earrings each day on campus.

Post-MBA career interests:
Consulting and internal finance

Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Reached out to Owen students! It was great to get to know them and get a sense of how the community might be in real life, not just through the website.

–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would start reflecting on my personal story earlier in the process and give myself more time to think about what my core values are, where am I at and what am I looking for moving forward. This would help me to make better questions as I reached out to MBA schools (in general) and Owen’s (in specific) students.

–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Definitely GMAT! I found it very effective if you have a small group of 3-4 people studying together. For me, attending the group sessions created a sense of accountability for me to prepare, study, and make meaningful questions during the sessions.

What is your initial impression of the Vanderbilt Owen MBA students/culture/community?
Everyone is so welcoming, and there are a handful of resources readily available to help me navigate both professionally and personally. One thing I keep remembering is our “Moving to Nashville” information session, where we received so much useful information and tips as we transitioned to this city. There were even aspects that I had not thought of:  Mo – our super friendly second-year MBA shared how different the electricity registration process for our apartment is between domestic and international students. Thanks to such detailed information, I managed to plan out my first day in Nashville, getting all administrative procedures done!

What is one thing you have learned about Vanderbilt Owen that has surprised you?
Everyone at Owen truly and genuinely wants me to succeed and thrive. There is no such thing as Owen students fighting against each other for a position. The only person that we’re competing with is ourselves. 

What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Balancing between academic study and internship recruitment.

What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Getting to know my cohort and our second years, listening to and learning from their unique experiences.